I am always looking for a new restaurants who serves delicious food. In New York, there is a new restaurant popping up all the time, it is hard to catch them all. Recently, I was invited by this lovely “mom and pop” Italian restaurant to try some of their food in Brooklyn. I love Italian food, and with their extensive wine selections, I was excited to visit them! Its face was an old storefront with stained glasses and wooden door. What you can see through the window was hinting its rustic charm. And once you stepped inside, my hope of seeing that rustic charm extended into their interior was more than met.
First of all, it was beautiful that lovely, it can take you breath away. It had such welcoming and warm atmosphere that makes you feel at home. Great spot to have a wonderful meal with your loved ones. It was almost like an old farmhouse, or a nonna’s kitchen from way back when, where you know you are about to receive some tasty treats! Or, if are more of a romantic, this space can totally work for that too. Dimly lit with antique-looking chandelier holding thin candle lights…such a warm, romantic space for a perfect date!
It is a rather small space, but they do have another room downstairs. Through the mystic stairs lit up with red light, they have a nice-sized wine cellar.
The wine cellar can be used for a private event. It is cozy and relaxing, and much cooler in temperature than that of upstairs as well. Would love to have an event there myself!
It has one large room with a communal table, with a couple of semi-separated room with smaller tables. They also had another table at the corner, where you could peek in to a special wine room that holds all of their reserve wines through the iron gates…nice!
Let’s go back upstairs for some food and wines! We received a small bowl full of olives, looking like a shiny jewels. We also received some complimentary bread, still warm and begging to be taken. They were soft and moist, with crunchy exterior that was not too hard.
Their menu is primarily Italian, with some Portuguese and Spanish influences. Same can be said about their extensive wine list. The wine menu is much longer than the food menu, with over 100 wines from Italy, Portugal, and Spain. After we put in our order, we asked for recommendation on wines that will pair well with our choices. I ordered a fish, and I like more of a fruity wine, so I was recommended to try an Italian wine, Mare, Cantine Benvenuto. It was perfectly chilled, and had a strong aroma, and the flavor was quite intense as well. Not as “fruity” as I thought, but rather a bit sharp and super refreshing with a hint of lemon. I can imagine this wine to be quite wonderful with white fish dishes.
My hubby went with lamb, and wanted a full-body red wine. He was recommended to try a Portuguese wine, Barão de Vilar, Touriga Nacional. It had a really lovely liquorice nose, with beautiful dark berry color. Certainly full-bodied and velvety, rich and bold. Great with red meat and game dishes.
Before the main dishes, we had a few appetizers to share. The first one of our choice was Burrata con Pomodoro e Basilico ($16), which is Burrata with Eirloom Tomatoes and Basil. It was simply beautiful, the contrast of bright red and green against a snowy white orb of burrata…
I already am a big fan of Mozzarella, so naturally, I am a big fan of Burrata. When I cut open the shell, the creamy, milky, oozy center came out. Fresh and tasty, especially mixed with olive oil and balsamic vinegar! It became an orchestra playing symphony in perfect harmony! It was such refreshing dish, we enjoyed it on a hot, steamy day.
The second item we ordered was Ravioli di Mele ($21), made with Green Apple, Ricotta and Cinnamon Housemade Ravioli with Pecking Duck Ragú. It had a nice sweetness to it. In many cases, the apple and cinnamon combination could be overwhelming, but here, it was so elegantly done. The pasta are made fresh everyday here, thick and plump dough. Pecking Duck Ragú was packed with flavor, balancing out the sweet ravioli pieces. The simple sauce was earthy, rich, and we used the bread to get everything off the plate!
Then, we were surprised with something we didn’t order. Their popular Carciofo alla Romana ($14.50), which is a Braised Artichoke in Extra Virgen Oil, Garlic and Mint. Artichoke is better in Winter, as they are softer. But, when they took this items off the menu, they had so much demand from customers to bring it back, so they now offer all-year-round. It was unique and impressive. The heart was almost creamy, melt in your mouth.
They had a few special of the day, and one of them was lasagna. We didn’t order it, but we did get a small sample of it. We were told it is quite good, and we agree, it was so good! It was soft, yet plump, with chunky meat and creamy cheese. The bite was almost velvety, followed by great flavor that spread softly into your mouth. Very comforting and homey.
Then, the main dish. I chose Spigola al Forno ($27), an Oven Roasted ‘Whole’ Mediterranean Sea Bass with Swiss Chard. And look at this beauty! I so love a whole sea bass, especially when it looks like this… It was decorated with a few olives on top, which was different and interesting.
One of the owners, Michelle, came over and asked if I wanted it filleted, and that she can fillet it for me right there. I accepted the offer, and she went to work. She was very skilled, and filleted my fish perfectly!
She put back the few olives on top, and I was ready to dig in. And the first bite of the fish gave me such joy…it was absolutely delicious! It had just the right amount of salt, and the acidity of olives went great with the fish also. I also loved its crunchy skin. Greens had perfect texture, nice way to balance the salty flavor of the fish. My taste buds were having a party in my mouth… We enjoyed this dish very much!
My hubby went with more meatier item, Agnello in Crosta di Pistacchio ($34). It is a Sicilian Pistachio Crusted Roasted Rack of Lamb in Red Wine Sauce with Cauliflower. It is interesting how a picture can make things look smaller or larger than it actually is. The lamb pieces were impressive size, but it seems smaller in my photos.
It had a great crunchy exterior with plump and juicy inside. Packed with flavor, with its natural flavor kept alive without too much seasoning. The sauce was quite good, rich and decadent. The lamb is best served rare to medium-rare, and they have done superb on that. I thought it might be a bit too chewy, but it was actually tender and just right. Very satisfying. Cauliflower was a great accompaniment, a light item to balance out the meaty item.
Once we finished with our food, our server brought desserts to our table. Michelle said that she wanted us to try two of their best desserts. Yes! The first one was Tiramisù ($10), a Traditional Tiramisú with Coffee Liqueur. I actually wanted to try their Tiramisú, so this was perfect! And guess what else was perfect? Their Tiramisù! It had a great coffee flavor that was really present in an awesome way. Soooo creamy! One of the best Tiramisù I’ve ever had!
Then a Torta di Cioccolato ($10), a Flouerless Valrhona Chocolate Cake. Normally, I stay away from flourless chocolate cake, since they come out too thick or too dry. But this one was nothing like other flourless chocolate cake I’ve had. It was so velvety and rich, firm yet creamy. It came with a heap of their homemade whipped cream, and raspberry sauce were great too. High quality chocolate that you can really taste! It melt in your mouth and makes you smile…
We also had a cappuccino end our lovely dinner. Nothing like a perfectly made cup of cappuccino to put your mind at ease, and let you really appreciate the entire experience.
They have one uni-sex bathroom across from their staircase to the wine cellar. The bathroom is not too small, with the antique-type atmosphere carried through. Clean and well-lit, cute little bathroom.
We had an amazing dinner here, I am so happy to have discovered this restaurant! Everything we had was superb, we enjoyed them all from the first bite to the last. Our main server, Valentine, took a great care of us. We didn’t have to ask for anything. And he did his best to time each dish to come out at the right timing, which is always much appreciated. The other staffs were efficient and polite as well. If you want to have some authentic, delicious food with family and friends, or have a very romantic date, this might be the perfect spot for you!
I was not financially compensated for this post. I received samples for review purposes. The opinions are completely my own based on my experience.
Convivium Osteria – 68 5th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11217